In February, OpenAI Sora was launched and with this there has been a rise in concerns around the future of art and advancements in artificial intelligence. Sora is a generative AI platform similar to ChatGPT. However, it sets itself apart from the more common text or picture based platforms by being able to create impressively realistic videos from text. This has led to debates surrounding the definition of art and whether or not something can even be considered art if it is created by AI. These platforms have already had an impact on the art world and will continue to do so in the future.
As Sora is a generative AI platform, it uses machine learning algorithms to create the videos on its platform. This means that the videos are limited by pre-existing datasets. The algorithm analyses and uses the inputted text to construct a video that goes along with the prompt. The videos that Sora is able to produce are ground-breaking, especially for an input platform that is based solely on text. The rapid progression in AI platforms like Sora is significant, even when compared to just a year ago. For example, last year we were seeing unrealistic videos of Will Smith eating spaghetti that were much more easily identifiable as AI. While there are still obvious flaws in Sora’s videos, you have to look a bit closer to notice them. These are inhuman movements, an extra limb for no reason or the lighting being incorrect. These videos clearly deviate from naturality, often making it obvious that they are AI generated.
While this progression in art and video production from AI can be interesting to observe in real time, it raises the question of what is art, and if this type of art even fits the definition. Can this type of art be considered creative if it is just an assembly of different pre-existing videos with nothing truly new being made, or is it just a homage to other works? Art has traditionally been made by the creativity of humans, and used to express emotions, through physical or digital mediums. In this way of seeing art AI falls short as it is just a combination of images and videos from other images and videos. There is not an attempt from AI to express mood or meaning, and is not aware of the creative process it is taking part in.
Although, it can be argued that humans can create accidental or unintentional art in a similar way to AI. For example, if a painter accidentally spills a can of paint onto a canvas can this still be considered art? This works as a parallel to the conversation on the role of AI in art. However, while both result in something that is unintentional, a human creation is not coming solely from another’s original set of work.
If AI were to be adopted into the traditional art world, there are many problems that would need to be smoothed out. One of these is the problem of plagiarism when it comes to this type of art. As AI is created from an already existing dataset, this type of art often ends up replicating styles and specific parts of an artist’s work without the original artist getting credit. If AI generated art becomes more mainstream, it could dilute the want for human made art. This is already a sector that is undervalued in our society, and AI may accelerate it. This could potentially lead to many artists no longer having the means to continue creating and keep up with the speed of AI. However, artists could also use AI to their benefit. It can give artists a new approach to their work by incorporating AI into their own style. This could lead to new mediums and methods in art that might be crucial to include in a quickly advancing technological world.
At the moment, it is unlikely that AI generated art will replace human made art. These are concerns that we have seen for a few years now and there has still been little evidence that AI could come close to the creation of art made by humans, let alone taking it over. If anything, it is likely that only stock photography and advertising will be replaced. This type of art is often generic and lacks the layers of emotion seen in other types of art. AI would be a quick and cheaper alternative for this area. While AI can generate visually impressive images and videos, it lacks the emotional complexities seen in art by real artists. The definition of art may need to grow and change for AI to truly be integrated. However, currently the creativity and expression of the human condition seen in art remains firmly in our own hands.
WORDS: Rachel Doyle
